Oct 14,2024
Matt McCarty wasted no time in making the most of his rookie season on the PGA Tour, as the newcomer won the inaugural Black Desert Championship on Sunday in Utah.
McCarty held the 54-hole lead and was clinging to a one-shot edge when he reached the short par-four 14th hole at Black Desert Resort. An incredible tee shot set up a short eagle putt that tripled his lead.
He wrapped it up from there, finishing three strokes better than Germany's Stephan Jaeger.
There was an impressive final-round 65 for Waterford's Seamus Power, good enough to secure a tie of 11th.
For the second time this week, Power eagled 14th and followed it up with a birdie at the par-three 15th. He had three further birdies on a blemish-free card that saw him end on 15-under par, eight shots off McCarty.
McCarty, a lefty-swinging 26-year-old from Arizona, clinched instant promotion to the PGA Tour earlier this year by winning three times on the Korn Ferry Tour. Sunday's victory, in just his second start, gave him a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour.
Early in the final round, Lucas Glover and Germany's Matti Schmid posted matching scores of nine-under par to rocket up the leaderboard. Glover rose to 19-under to apply pressure on McCarty before ultimately tying for third with Kevin Streelman. Schnmid finished fifth.
FULL LEADERBOARD
McCarty - who posted a 62 Thursday and a 64 Saturday - birdied two holes on the front nine and bogeyed the 12th before reaching the 310-yard 14th hole. His tee shot took two hops before rolling gently onto the green, stopping inside four feet of the pin.
McCarty then went birdie-bogey-birdie over his final three holes before celebrating with his caddie and family.
The Black Desert Championship was the PGA Tour's first stop in Utah since 1963.
